The late Brink laid to rest
His memorial service will be held on Monday
The late Derek Brink Snr. was laid to rest last Saturday in a private ceremony attended by his immediate family. His memorial service, which will be attended strictly by invitation will be held next Monday at Cresta Lodge in Gaborone.
A communiqué from the family states that due to the large numbers of well- wishers, they have had to limit the number of attendees and that the memorial service will thus “be attended by invitation only”.
The family further states that they will provide a link and livestream the event to cater for those who will not be able to attend due to limited space.
The Lobatse- born Brink was an all- round business personality with diversified portfolios with at least 36 registered and prospering companies in real estate, farming, manufacturing, cattle farming, hotel industry, game and ranching, among others. He was also one of the longest serving board members of then Barclays Bank now ABSA.
It is said Brink was part of the board which embraced the proposal for BBSL to apply for a commercial licence and was reportedly against shares of the Botswana Building Society Limited ( BBSL) being sold to foreigners.
At some stage, records showed that Brink’s and family shares totalled about 17.31 percent of the organisation, while government through Botswana Privatisation Asset Holdings company held 14.84 percent, followed by Botswana Police Savings and Loans Guarantee Scheme at 9.20 percent shareholding.
The other investors are in Motor Vehicle Accident Fund’s with a 7.55 percent, Former police commissioner, Simon Hirschfield at 2.71 percent interest, the late Abdul Joseph holding 2.50 percent and Botlhale Investments owning 2.26 percent. The remaining 43 percent of BBSL, representing about 211.8 million shares, belongs to individual shareholders.
Former BBSL Managing Director, Pius Molefhe confirmed that he had several meetings with Brink senior, where he expressed his views that BBSL should be turned into the first indigenous commercial bank and its shares should be sold to Batswana only.
He added that the growth of the economy of this country will certainly be incomplete without mentioning Brink. “Nobody can make an omelette without breaking an egg. In case of him some will accuse him for having obtained massive land rights despite having done that legally.” Molefhe counts Brink among the people who played their part as his businesses were part of the ecosystem of this country as they employed Batswana, counting him among the largest single employers.
He has also put the country’s name on the map with some of his companies which have established beyond the borders of the country. Being a cattle baron and running a successful beef industry saw presidents of countries like Rwanda visiting his farm and Senn Foods factory to benchmark.
Those close to him say he was more comfortable having a conversation in Setswana than any other language. It is said that he liked Botswana and Setswana so much that even on his sick bed he insisted on being attended to by a Motswana medical doctor. He was very close to the likes of former president Festus Mogae, former police commissioner and businessman, Simon Hirschfield and the late former Debswana Managing Director Louis Nchindo. Brink is credited for helping Batswana especially his employees to go into their own businesses across all sectors.